Six die in Afghan intelligence office attack

Kabul, Jan 16 (IANS) Six suicide bombers who targeted a compound of Afghanistan's intelligence agency here Wednesday were killed, police said. Several civilians who were injured were in critical condition.

A six-member group of suicide attackers raided a compound of the National Directorate for Security (NDS) in Charahi area around noon, Xinhua reported.

Police said five of them were gunned down by security personnel while the sixth died in a blast he himself triggered.

One of the attackers first blew himself up next to the gate of the compound, enabling the other five to get inside.

But security personnel responded immediately and killed all of them on the spot.

However, 30 civilians, mostly passersby, suffered injuries in the firing. Some of them were in critical condition, Xinhua added.

Several shops and cars nearby were damaged in the first blast.

Earlier reports said the powerful blast occurred close to a compound of the intelligence agency and the interior ministry building.

In a separate incident, a Taliban commander was killed Tuesday night in Uruzgan province as security forces raided a militant hideout, an official said Wednesday.

The death is a major setback to the Taliban militants, a police spokesperson said, adding he was active in Chora district and adjoining areas. The province is 370 km from capital Kabul.